Berryman to drop lawsuit against city

Adrian Mayor Jim Berryman, whose term started Monday, said he has instructed his attorney to drop his suit against the city over putting oil royalties in a trust.

“I just don’t feel as being mayor I should have a suit in front of the city,” Berryman said Wednesday.

Berryman was elected Nov. 5.

Berryman’s suit in Lenawee County Circuit Court asked the court to stop the city from putting the oil royalties in a trust and to order the city to have a public hearing on the oil trust issue.

Berryman said he still wants to have a public hearing about the oil royalties trust.

He also would like the Adrian City Commission, three of whose members also were also elected Nov. 5, to direct the city attorney to find out what legal options the city has to amend the trust or to stop any more money from going into it, Berryman said.

The new commission’s first meeting is Monday, Nov. 18.

The city commission voted 5-2 Oct. 7 to put all the city’s oil royalties in a 15-year trust with no money to be withdrawn for three years and after that for the trustee to pay the city 5 percent of the trust’s value annually.

Berryman opposed the trust and said it is why voters rejected a proposed Headlee Amendment override Nov. 5.

“I think the city budget needs the flexibility to use those (funds),” Berryman said.